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Following Colic Surgery, your horse will need a 60-90 day recovery period before starting back into work. This is a critical time of healing and will give your horse the best chance of a full recovery. Use the following as a guideline, but you should review this with your Veterinarian and modify it to fit your specific housing conditions.
- Stall rest with hand walking for 15-20 minutes one to two times daily for 60 days.
- Allow turnout into a small paddock or a stall with a run for an additional 30 days.
- Bring Back to work SLOWLY!!!! Monitor closely for signs of swelling in the incision area or increased soreness and call if seen.
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After 90 days start with 4 weeks of walking and trotting on the longeline. Work him 5-6 days per week. This needs to be done in a very controlled manner wherein he is not allowed to rip and buck so that he does not tear muscle at the incision.
- Week 1: Walk 10 minutes, then trot 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, trot 1 minute, then repeat in the other direction. Then walk 5 minutes.
- Week 2: Walk 10 minutes, then trot 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes, trot 2 minutes, then repeat in the other direction. Then walk 5 minutes.
- Week 3: Add a third repetition of 2 minutes of walking and trotting.
- Week 4: Add a fourth repetition of 2 minutes of walking and trotting.
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Then 4 weeks of trotting under saddle. Before trotting start out with a long walking warm up.
- Week 1: 5 minutes trotting.
- Week 2: 5 minutes of trotting, then walk, then 5 minutes of trotting.
- Week 3: 5 minutes of trotting, then walk, then 5 minutes of trotting, walk, then 5 min trotting.
- Week 4: 5 minutes of trotting, then walk, then 5 minutes of trotting, walk, 5 minutes of trotting, then walk, then 5 minutes of trotting for a total of 20 minutes trotting.
- Week 5-8: Start adding 3-5 total minutes of canter in each ride.
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great facts to know